Shade construction



Oct. 30, 1962 w. HAZLETT 3,061,006

SHADE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 4, 1960 -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lester W Haz/efl INVENTOR.

Oct. 30, 1962 w. HAZLETT SHADE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1960 Les/er w Hazlett INVENTOR. Mm BY n and United States 3,061,006 SHADE CQNSTRUCTION Lester W. Hazlett, 461 Leeds St., Akron 5, Ohio Filed Feb. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 6,754 6 Claims. ((31. 160-265) This invention relates generally to shades and more particularly to a novel shade construction which may be advantageously utilized as a window shade, vehicle visor, etc.

Conventional window shades employ a flexible material fixed on one end to a roller rotatably mounted in a window frame. Spring means are associated with the roller for allowing the material to be rerolled onto the roller after it is unrolled by pulling on the material so as to reease the roller to allow the spring to rotate the roller oppositely. Conventional vehicle visors usually consist of an opaque member which is movable for shielding the eyes of the vehicle operator from the sun. In certain instances, tinted transparent material has been utilized in lieu of the opaque member for visors. It is thought that improved visors may be developed by constructing a visor so as to include a tinted transparent flexible material which would be adjustable to a greater variety of positions rendering it more versatile and improving the usefulness thereof. In the past, it has been diflicult to utilize a flexible material, as for example, a conventional window shade, because the free end of the shade was unrestrained and the movement thereof was disturbing if not hazardous to the vehicle operator.

In view of the above, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel shade construction including a flexible shade of preferably transparent material. The utilization of the flexible shade enables the visor to be more advantageously utilized in several different positions.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a novel shade construction which provides means for utilizing a flexible shade while preventing the end of the shade remote from the roller rod from moving in an unrestrained manner.

It is still a more particular object of this invention to provide a novel shade construction usable as a vehicle visor or a window shade which is compact in construction enabling its use where limited space is a consideration. Also, the invention is relatively simple and accord ingly is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating how the shade construction comprising this invention may be utilized as a sun visor in a conventional vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a first form of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane -33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an external perspective view of the shade construction;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a second form of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane 8-8 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating in detail an alternate projectible member which may be utilized in conjunction with the invention.

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With continuing reference to the drawings, numeral 10 generally represents the interior of a vehicle as an automobile. Conventionally, a sun visor is provided on the roof of the automobile adjacent the front windshield 12. In the present instance, the shade construction comprising this invention and generally designated by numeral 14 is pivotally mounted by arm 16 to bracket 18.

Attention is now particularly called to FIGURE 5 wherein the shade construction 14 is illustrated. The shade construction includes a generally inverted U-shaped tubular housing or holder 20 defining a straight, horizontal bight portion 22 and a pair of end portion or legs 24 and 26 depending therefrom. The bight portion 22 defines an enlarged section 28 therein in which is rotatably mounted an actuating element 30 to be more particularly described below.

Attention is now called to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 4. Rotatably supported between the legs 24 and 26 is a spring rod roller 32 having a reduced end 34 rotatably received in a recess defined in leg 26. A second end 36 of the rod 32 is received in a recess defined in the leg 24. The rod 32 may be provided with spring means for urging the ends 36 and 34 apart. A shade member 38 is secured to the roller 32 on a first end thereof. The shade 38 is preferably tinted and transparent. Of course, it must be flexible.

A passage 40 extends through the leg 24 and the bight portion 22 toward the enlarged section of the bight portion 22. Likewise, a passage 42 extends through the leg 26 and the bight portion 22 toward the enlarged section 28. The passages 40 and 42 are substantially flat but may be formed in a concave manner for purposes to be more particularly described below. Attention is called to FIG- URE 4. Projecti'ble members 44 and 46 in the form of resilient metallic strips extend respectively through the passages 40 and 42 to the enlarged section 28 of bight portion 22. The projectible members 44 and 46 are formed of spring metal and are preferably concave or arcuate in crosssection, similar to the spring metal tape utilized in measuring tapes. This tape has the characteristic of being able to bend at approximately degrees, but has the further characteristic of remaining substanr tially straight and rigid when extended. The shade 38 has a rigid bar 48 secured to the end thereof remote from the rod 32. The bar 48 is fixed between the projectible members 44 and 46 at 50 and 52.

The rotatable actuating element 30 terminates in a square shaft 54 (FIGURE 2). Mounted on the shaft 54 is a sprocket gear comprising a disk 56 defining projecting teeth 58 thereon. The shaft 54 of the element 30 extends perpendicular to the passages 40 and 42. The projectible members 44 and 46 have openings 60 and 62 formed in the ends thereof respectively. The openings are spaced from each other along the members a distance equal to the spacing between the adjacent teeth 58 on the disk 56. As noted in FIGURES 2 and 3, the teeth 58 are enmeshed with the openings 60 and 62 in the members 44 and 46. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that by rotating the element 30 in a manner such that the disk 56 moves counterclockwise in FIGURE 2, the members 44 and 46 will be drawn upwardly through the respective passages 40 and 42 so as to carry the bar 48 and shade 38 upwardly. The rod 32 should be slightly spring-urged at all times in a direction such as to cause the shade 38 to reroll thereon. Accordingly, as noted by moving the disk 56 in a counterclockwise direction, the bar 48 will be raised relative to the housing 20 and accordingly the spring-urged rod 32 will cause the shade 38 to roll thereon. If the element 30 were turned so that the disk 56 would move clockwise, the members 44 and 46 would be extended outwardly through the passages 40 and 42 from the legs 24 and 26.

hers 44 and 46 in opposed directions.

By so doing, the shade '38 would be unrolled from the rod 32 against the slight spring pressure thereof. Of course, it will be realized that in order to properly unroll or roll the shade 38, the members 44 and 46 must be moved simultaneously and equally. Therefore, the rotation of element 30 must be such as to move the endsof the mem- By meshing the members 44 and 46 to the disk 56 at diametrically op posite points, rotation of the disk Will cause the respective equal opposed movement.

Attention is now called to FIGURES 6 through 8 whereina second embodiment of the invention is shown. The embodiment of FIGURES 6 through 8 is similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 2 through 4 in most respects. However, in lieu of the teeth-enmeshed with the openings in the members 44 and 46, different means are employed for extending the members 44 and 46 in opposed directions equally. In this embodiment, a gear 70 is carried by the element 30 and engages with gear 72 secured to shaft 74 rotatably supported in bight portion 22 and extending toward either side of enlarged section 28. Spiral grooves or threads 76 and 78 are formed on opposite ends of the shaft 74 and are spiralled in opposite directions. The ends of the shaft 74 as at 80 and 82 are rotatably supported within the housing 20. By rotating the element 30, the shaft 74 is caused to rotate. In lieu of the openings 60 and 62 formed in the members 44 and 46 of the initial embodiment of the invention, pins 84 and 86 are terminally formed on the members 44 and 46 of the second embodiment. The pins 84 and 86 are engaged in'the spiral grooves 76 and 78. By rotating the actuating element 30 therefor, the shaft 74 is rotated and the spiral grooves 76 and 78 cause the pins 84 and 86 to ride through the passages '40 and 42 to'move the members '44 and 46. In all other respects, the embodiment of FIGURES 6 through 8 is identical to that of the embodiment of FIGURES 2 through 4.

Reference is now drawn to FIGURE 9. Therein, an enlarged cross-sectional view similar'to a portion of that of FIGURE 8 is illustrated. In lieu of utilizing merely a single concave spring metal tape, opposed tapes 9i) and 92 may be employed for adding greater rigidity to the member when projectedbeyondthe legs 24 and 26. Inasmuch as the rigidity of the projected members is significant for enabling the end of the shade '38 secured to the bar 48 to be restrained from free movement, the provision of the dual opp'osed tapes 90 and 92 as suggested in FIGURE 9 is significant. Of course, it is apparent that the opposed members as illustrated in FIGURE 9 may be utilized in either of the two embodiments of the invention suggested.

It will be noted that the housing has been illustrated in the drawings as being formed of two opposed identical sections. The junction is particularly designated by the numeral 94 in several of the figures. The housing 20 may be formed of two sections as illustrated in order to facilitate the assembly of the device.

The particular structural materials utilized in the invention are not generally significant. However, as noted the projectile members 44 and 46 and 90 and 92 should be of spring metal concave tape. The shade 38 is preferably of tinted transparent and flexible material. The housing 20 may be of plastic.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A motor vehicle eye shade comprising, in combination, a generally inverted U-shaped. tubular holder for mounting on a support and including a substantially straight horizontal bight portion and depending end legs, a roller journaled between the legs in spaced parallelism with said bight portion, a flexible shade member secured at one end to the roller for winding thereon, resilient strips slidable longitudinally in the tubular holder and depending from the ends thereof, means in the tubular holder for slidably actuating the strips simultaneously but in opposite directions, and a rod on the other end of the shade member extending between the lower ends of the strips and secured thereon for operatively connecting said strips to said shade member for unwinding same from the roller.

2. A motor vehicle eye shade comprising, in combina-' tion, a generally inverted U-shaped tubular holder for mounting on a support, and including a substantially straight horizontal bight portion and depending end legs, a roller journaled between the legs in spaced parallelism with said bight portion, a flexible shade member secured at one end to the roller for Winding thereon, resilient strips slidable longitudinally in the tubular holder and depending from the ends thereof, means in the tubular holder for slidably actuating the strips simultaneously but in opposite directions, and a rod on the other end of the shade member extending between the lower ends of the strips and secured thereon for operatively connecting said strips to said shade member for unwinding same from the roller, said roller including spring actuating means for tensioning the shade member and rewinding same.

3. A motor vehicle eye shade comprising, in combination, a generally inverted U-shaped tubular holder for mounting on a support and including a substantially straight horizontal bight portion and depending end legs, a roller journaled between the legs in spaced parallelism with said bight portion, a flexible shade member secured at one end to the roller for winding thereon, a resilient strips slidable longitudinally in the tubular holder and depending from the ends thereof, means in the tubular holder for slidably actuating the strips simutlaneously but in opposite directions, and a rod on the other end of the shade member extending between the lower ends of the strips and secured thereon for operatively connecting said strips to said shade member for unwinding same from the roller, said roller including spring actuating means for tensioning the shade member and rewinding same, said strips being of arcuate cross section, the interior of said tubular holder conforming to the cross sectional shape of the strips and slidably accommodating said strips.

4. The combination of claim 3, said strips including lapped inner end portions having spaced openings therein, said means comprising a sprocket gear rotatably mounted in the tubular holder between said inner end portions of said strips and engaged in the openings.

5. The combination of claim 4, said means including a shaft journaled longitudinally in said bight portion and including oppositely threaded end portions paralleling the inner end portions of the strips, and pins on said strips engaged with the shaft for threadedly connecting same to said strips.

6. The combination of claim 5, said means further including a second shaft journaled in said bight portion at right angles to the first-named shaft, and meshed gears operatively connecting the shafts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,333,516 Thomsen Mar. 9, 1920 1,932,475 Peteler Oct. 31, 1933 2,179,763 Smolowitz Nov. 14, 1939 2,490,295 Fisher Dec. 6, 1949 2,547,373 Camp Apr. 3, 1951 2,832,590 Youngberg Apr. 29, 1958 

